Analyzing the Bread and ButterBenefits of Water Main Pipe Bursting

Richard (Bo) Botteicher, PE

What is meant by the term ‘bread and butter’ for water main pipebursting rehabilitation?

Utilizing Pipe BurstingRehabilitation and ReplacementTechniques for Potable WaterDistribution Piping Systems

Distribution systems with:• Consistent, smaller pipe

diameters• Consistent materials• Consistent layout• Larger areas of rehabilitation

typical

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Potable water distribution system specifics are a good match topipe bursting rehabilitation and replacement methodology

1. Prescriptive design practices usedfor original installation

2. Consistent depths of bury3. Generally consistent materials4. Consistent methods of original

bedding/bury, construction5. Locatable appurtenances6. Modest upsize or size-on-size

requirements7. Parallel separation from other

utilities, conflicts limited to smallnumber of crossing utilities

The “80%”

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Pipe bursting is a unique, low-dig solution for potable waterdistribution system rehabilitation and replacement

1. Allows existing pipes to be upsized2. Utilizes the same utility and easement corridor

and location3. Provides a new, wholly-structural, factory

produced pipe product4. A competent low-dig technology to reduce

widespread surface and customer/constituentdisturbance

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Challenges for ‘bread and butter’ pipe bursting rehabilitation ofpotable water distribution systems

1. Maintaining service for customers2. Mechanical reinstatement of service

connections3. Required surface (street) restoration

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• Pipe that may be nearing the endof its useful life.

• Pipe that is undersized due toadditional required capacity ordeterioration.• Increasing break rates• Water quality concerns• Tubercles• Fire flow concerns

Aging water infrastructure is the common challenge

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Pipe Bursting Basics for Water Main Rehabilitation

• The actual pipe bursting processis similar regardless of end useapplication.

• However, potable waterapplications require:• Pressurized service• Potable disinfection

• Static pipe bursting systems areadvantageous due to the commonmaterials used for water pipingand water piping repairs.

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• Temporary Water system• Requires installation of temporary piping• Disinfection and testing• Swap-over of service• Disassembly after work complete• Standard pipeline commissioning for

rehabilitated section

• Pre-chlorination– Requires disinfection of pipe PRIOR to

installation– Care with installation and reconnection– Can limit the time out of service– Eliminates the need for temporary water

• Decision is based on comfort ofutility in risk associated with nobackup should service be delayed inthe case of pre-chlorinated pipebursting

Temporary Water or Pre-chlorinated Pipe Bursting?

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• Bread and Butter water pipe burstinggets a significant efficiency boostthrough the potential repetitive natureof the work.

• Efficiency in the program then drivestime and cost savings:

– Planning– Repetitive Labor– Minimizing the system ‘unknowns’

• These efforts can reduce timeand labor, but cost will still beprimarily driven by the costbenefits of the method:– Surface restoration– Excavation materials costs

Efficiency for ‘bread and butter’ water pipe bursting

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The importance of planning for bread and butter construction

• Plan out larger blocks of work to be completed at the same time– Work should be grouped geospatially as much as possible– Pipe size and type organized together– Work grouped this way lends itself to easy ‘sorting’

• Efficiency is maximized by setting similar bursts, close together, in succession– Tasks remain similar– Equipment– Materials– Standardization on new system components

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Grouping geographic areas of work together

• Areas of need are bygeographic location

• Similar installationtime frame

• Similar materialsand methods oforiginal construction

• Similar needs forrehabilitation

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• Example of a ‘Rolling Block’type of labor breakdown.

• A singular crew keepspreparation, temp water,pipe fusing, installation andclean-up moving over acouple blocks at a time.

• Efficiency is attained bykeeping labor busy overseveral functions of theprocess depending on theactual location of the burst.

DayNo.

DayBlock # 1Activity

Block # 2Activity

Block # 3Activity

1 Wednesday Fuse Pipe - 1

2 ThursdayTemporary WaterSystem Installed

3 Friday Fuse Pipe - 2

4 MondayPrepare Existing

Water Main

5 TuesdayPrepare for PipeBursting Activity

6 Wednesday Pipe Burst Activity Fuse Pipe - 1

7 Thursday Pipe Burst ActivityTemporary WaterSystem Installed

8 FridayCommission andTesting of new

water mainFuse Pipe - 2

9 MondayPrepare Existing

Water Main

10 TuesdayPrepare for PipeBursting Activity

11 Wednesday Pipe Burst Activity Fuse Pipe - 1

12 Thursday Pipe Burst ActivityTemporary WaterSystem Installed

13 FridayCommission and

Testing of new watermain

Fuse Pipe - 2

14 MondayPrepare Existing

Water Main

15 TuesdayPrepare for PipeBursting Activity

16 Wednesday Pipe Burst Activity17 Thursday Pipe Burst Activity

18 FridayCommission andTesting of new

water main

Planning can also increase Labor Efficiency

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Minimizing Bread and Butter Pipe Bursting Unknowns

• Do your homework during planningstages

• Repair records• Critical crossing (encasements)• Sanitary sewer laterals• Valves and appurtenances

• Understand the ‘unknowns’ early –plan for them – don’t allow them toruin efficiency

• Tooling sized for repair clamps• Tooling ready for other pipe materials

(from repair)• Protocol for dealing with lateral line breaks

or issues

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• The following items are imperative for projectand program success:

– Focusing on efficiency of installations– Waterline testing requirements– Pavement rehabilitation requirements– Community support– Political support

• Beware the institutional traps of alternatemethods!

– Lack of commitment– No ‘champion’ in the utility– ‘Silver Bullet’ trap– Contractor vs. utility economics

Critical parameters for Bread and Butter Water pipe burstingsuccess

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What were the roadblocks to Consolidated’s Use of Pipe BurstingTechnology for a Rehabilitation Program?

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Conclusions

Cost Reduction or Savings

• Make your own estimates of cost and efficiency based on YOUR situation• Will depend on paving and excavation requirements• Do not trade your economics for those of a contractor or supplier!

Efficiency – doing more with less

• Allow the greatest efficiency for bread and butter pipe bursting by packagingit together correctly

• Repetitive labor and installation scenarios will save time and moneyCustomer relations

• Pipe bursting has value beyond the dollar to those customers that use thesystem

• Providing a valuable product at a reasonable price is something to bragabout!

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Question and Answer

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Analyzing the Bread and ButterBenefits of Water Main Pipe

Bursting

Richard (Bo) Botteicher, PEUnderground Solutions, Inc.

bbotteicher@ugsi.us(303) 521-2618